Pearson Leads The Field After First Round At Bryan National Collegiate

April 6, 2007

Browns Summit, N.C. – South Carolina senior Jenna Pearson leads the field at the Bryan National Collegiate after shooting a four-under-par 68 in Friday’s first round played at the par 72 Bryan Park Champions Course. As a team, the Gamecocks are in fourth place at nine over, a mark that puts them seven strokes behind tournament leader Purdue. Pearson’s first-round 68 marked a career best and placed her ahead of five of the nation’s top 10 players who are also in the field, including top-ranked Amanda Blumenherst from Duke and No. 3 Caroline Westrup from Florida State. Her 68 ties for the second-lowest single-round score in school history, trailing only the 67 carded by Kristy McPherson at the 2001 SEC Championships.

Pearson started her day by achieving par on the par-five first hole. She then birdied the par-three fourth and bogeyed the par-four fifth. From that point on, however, it was smooth sailing for the Wheaton, Ill., native as she birdied three out of four holes during one stretch to solidify herself as the top player in the field Friday. She leads the field by two strokes.

Her performance Friday continues a recent hot streak for Pearson, who knocked in a hole-in-one at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic last time out en route to finishing fifth at the prestigious event. Pearson entered this weekend’s tournament ranked as the No. 63 player in the nation and looks to become Carolina’s first individual medalist since McPherson won the 2003 Bryan National Collegiate.

Junior Camila Mori was also solid for the Gamecocks Friday with a one-over-par 73, placing her in a tie for 12th on the individual leader board. Mori had an eventful day with 11 pars, four bogeys and three birdies, including a pair of birdies on her first and second holes of the day. Freshman BÃƒÂ©nÃƒÂ©dicte Toumpsin is tied for 37th at four over, with teammates Whitney Simons (tied for 65 at eight over) and Blythe Worley (tied for 84th at 11 over) rounding out the Carolina attack.

Second round action resumes with an 11 a.m. Shotgun Start tomorrow.

Team Leader Board
1. Purdue: 290 (+2)
2. North Carolina: 291 (+3)
3. Duke: 292 (+4)
4. South Carolina: 297 (+9)
5. Florida: 298 (+10)
6. Virginia: 300 (+12)
7. Auburn: 301 (+13)
8. Georgia: 303 (+15)
9. Tennessee: 305 (+17)
10. UNC Wilmington: 306 (+18)
11. Ohio State: 307 (+19)
12. Furman: 308 (+20)
T13. Wake Forest: 309 (+21)
T13. Florida State: 309 (+21)
15. LSU: 311 (+23)
16. College of Charleston: 312 (+24)
17. NC State: 314 (+26)
18. UNC Greensboro: 316 (+28)